Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2024
549. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he intends to review and amend the reference costs for eligible items for TAMS funding, given that in several instances the current reference costs are well below the actual costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36252/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the success of TAMS II, I significantly increased the number of investment items available under TAMS 3. I also increased the reference costs as appropriate across all schemes, based on a review carried out in late 2022/early 2023.
The reference costs are updated periodically to ensure that they reflect actual/market costs for the construction of farm buildings and facilities, and for farm equipment. To achieve this objective, the review of the reference costs is based on a comparison with receipted costs. For an effective comparison, an adequate number of receipted claims are required.
Currently, the number of claims submitted for completed structures in TAMS 3 is insufficient to conduct a full analysis. A further review of the reference costs is expected to take place over the coming months, with a publication of the revised costs likely in mid-2025.
